So, Where Does This End?

In my opinion, attrition, and escaping, removed much of the experience required for municipalities to function with anything close to efficiency. Maybe it's always been this way, but I don't think it has.

When I started in the construction field, there were plenty of older, and wiser, engineers with equally competent staff working in the public sector.  Of course, there were always a few that were basically smiling idiots drawing a paycheck, but the main part of the organization was efficient. It's not that way today.

Too many good people either retired, or quit. Many that retired did so in their mid fifties. With their amount of time served, and age combined, the 80 mark was achieved. This allowed the full pension amount, and many still had healthcare. Those that quit just walked away from a possibly good, long career. 

Why did they retire? I've asked a few, and the reason was the same: "Tired of the crap". They were either unable to do their job, didn't have enough time to meet demands, were being crushed by the bureaucracy, or disgusted with the new hires. They'd had enough, saw a way out, and took advantage of the option.

Those that quit did so for the same reason. The misery of working in a bureaucrat Nirvana was too much. They really didn't care for the tons of paperwork, ridiculous reports, bureaucratic mandates, and inability to learn anything but how to fill out reports.

Many that retired found jobs doing the same thing for private consulting firms, with higher compensation. The firms were contracted to perform design, quality control, and inspection. The firms benefited from the wealth of experience. The new employees knew specifications, bid items, quality control, and were on the job to inspect the work. That's a plus for the engineering firms, since they were wading into the bureaucratic mire, and it's best to have those that know the trails.

Some might think the solution is for public entities to cut employees and equipment. That seems like a good idea, until you realize there's a responsibility to taxpayers, and you can't just turn private companies loose. Oversight is needed, and those with this position need to have practical knowledge, with experience. Expecting career bureaucrats to perform this tasks is foolish. Bureaucrats only understand paperwork, ridiculous mandates, and how to justify wasting money.

My solution will probably never happen, since it requires strong supervisors, with a goal of pushing the bureaucracy back into the swamp. Reducing repetitive reports, cutting inefficient employees, demanding accountability, and refusing to bow to more bureaucracy are the qualities needed. Removing the red tape allows those responsible to assemble an efficient staff, and that staff needs to be compensated without thought of how some other employee feels. Good people need good money, and will accomplish more than any two marginal employees. Employees that want to just collect a paycheck need to be terminated.

I don't know where this will end, but know the downhill slide is creating unnecessary costs to taxpayers. The lack of quality people leads to additional costs for errors, and omissions. The lack of experienced leaders is creating a work environment where the bureaucrats control, and bureaucrats are the bane of a healthy workplace. 

Condensed

The Russians used the internet to create false social media accounts, and used the accounts to influence voters to vote for Bernie Sanders

The Clinton campaign took over the Democratic National Committee and used crooked methods to keep Bernie Sanders from becoming the Democratic Presidential candidate.

The Clinton campaign used a crooked firm to create a false dossier, which was used by a corrupt FBI official to trick a FISA court into spying on the Republican candidate. The dossier supposedly proves Russian collusion with the Trump Campaign. To help convince the FISA judge, an article that used the dossier for reference was used as more proof of the corruption.

When Trump won, the same false dossier was used to influence the demand for an independent council to investigate the false narrative of collusion with the Russians. The Russians used their social media accounts to stir the pot, and tried to disrupt the country with division.

What it all boils down to is the Russians wanted Bernie Sander to become President, because he's a flaming Socialist, the Clintons continued the corruption they've so famous for, and the government is trying to hide illegal actions by their own officials.

Meanwhile, a substantial number of citizens are tired of waiting. Crooks need to be tried, corrupt officials need to be fired, and somebody better start making a strong effort to clean up this mess.

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You Get Two Seconds

We have a regular phone in the office at work, with multiple lines, and a receiver for slamming a phone. I get the opportunity most days, while in the office, to slam the phone down on telemarketers or robo-calls.

I'm fair with my answering. Everyone gets two seconds. With telemarketers, I have the satisfaction of knowing they're wasting their time, and need to move on. With robo-calls, the lack of a request is the tell-tale that notifies me of a computer generated call.

With robo-calls, if you announce the name of the company again, someone will pick up the phone, or a recorded message will start, so I never say the company name but once.

I've startled people before that either were distracted, or intimidated when I answered. They use up their two seconds without responding, so I hang up. They usually call right back, but I've heard some wait awhile before calling again, in the hope someone else will answer.

When the secretary answers the phone, she has a unique way of dealing with telemarketers. When the ask for someone, she puts them on hold, and lets them wait for a long, long time. If they're still there, when she finally returns and replies: "They're not answering their page. Would you like to leave a message?" they usually respond with "No, I'll call back later." or hang up.

I worked as a telemarketer years ago, while between jobs. It was brutal, and hard to not let being jerked around by people to become personal. Maybe that's why I wasn't a good telemarketer. Those that were, had thick skins, ignored those that slammed the phone, and immediately dialed another number. I'm guessing they made a living doing what they do. With me, expecting a decent paycheck was futile. If I did get orders, most of them were people using bogus credit card numbers to have their fun with telemarketers.

So, I understand how it's tough job to be a telemarketer, but still know slamming the phone is the best way of just getting rid of them. If they're good, they'll just go on. If not, they'll need Xanax and blood pressure medication.

We'll, I'll Be

I was driving with my wife along a back road, when we spotted a different bird. Large, appearing as many of the water birds found locally, and behaving much like geese.

I've been told these birds appear, but never have I've seen one. I told my wife what I surmised the birds to be: Sandhill Cranes. She found them on her phone, and it revealed I was right.

They're amazing. Standing around 5 feet high, they flock like geese; constantly moving away from automobiles too close to where they're feeding. What they were feeding on is beyond me, but they were in a rice field harvested last season. I assume it was either new shoots growing in the wet field, or crayfish that start leaving their winter burro.

We watched for a few seconds, and then moved on. The birds stayed far away, and dawdling only made them mover further.

There's a hunting season on the bird. Considering their size, only one will feed a family. Me? I don't think so. They're too magnificent to watch, and it would take drastic circumstances to shoot one for food.

The Same Things Over and Over

I have little confidence the problem with federal law enforcement will be handled correctly. Those needing to be punished most will either receive a hand slap, or allowed to retire without any responsibility for their actions. That, and the bureaucrats ruining lives with administrative abuse will skate without being held accountable. Otherwise, it's more of the same, and the belief in justice fades away.